7 steps to doing business with the government
- Look locally. Contact your city and county public works departments to find out how they publish bid opportunities.
- For state and national bid opportunities, get your business certified.
- Self-certifications: The federal government recognizes small businesses (SBE), women-owned (WBE), and disadvantaged (i.e. minority) businesses (SDB). The SBA has established two widely used size standards for small business:
- Fewer than 500 employees for most manufacturing and mining industries, and
- Less than $7 million in average annual receipts for most nonmanufacturing industries.
- HUBZone businesses. If your business is located in a low-median income or high unemployment area, you may be eligible for preferential bidding on federal projects.
- SBA 8(a) program for minority businesses. The SBA 8(a) program provides direct help in obtaining federal contracts. Participants must have been in business at least 2 years and have non-businesss and non-home assets less than $250,000. For more information, visit http://www.sba.gov/content/8a-business-development. To apply, visit https://sba8a.symplicity.com/applicants/guide.
- US Department of Transportation recognizes veteran-owned small businesses. For more information, visit http://osdbu.dot.gov/about/customers.cfm#VOSB.
- The State of Illinois awards nearly $400 million to Business Enterprise Program (BEP) certified firms. These companies are owned by minorities, women and the disabled.
The State also has a Small Business Set-Aside Program, where over $56 million in contracts are awarded.
Visit http://www2.illinois.gov/cms/business/sell2/bep/Pages/default2.aspx to become certified for BEP or the Set-Aside Program.
- Even if you are not certified, register on SAMS and with the State. The federal government uses SAM (System for Award Management).
You can register at https://www.sam.gov/. You can do a search on existing registered businesses at
http://web.sba.gov/pro-net/search/dsp_dsbs.cfm.
To sell to the state, register as a Vendor at https://ipg.vendorreg.com/FrontEnd/StartRegistry.asp
- Look for large opportunities and sign up for email notifications. Federal opportunities for $25,000 and more can be found at https://www.fbo.gov. You can find State bid opportunities at http://www.purchase.state.il.us/ipb/IllinoisBID.nsf/frmBidViewFrameset. You will also find links to separate solicitation lists for Business Enterprise Program (BEP) certified businesses and Small Business Set-Aside (SBSA) certified businesses. Illinois sets a goal of 19% of purchases to certified BEP firms and all contracts for $50,000 or less are set aside for SBSA firms.
- Look for sub-contracting opportunities. The government bid process can take six months. It is often faster to find sub-contracting opportunities with companies that have already received a government contract. You can find federal sub-contracting opportunities at http://web.sba.gov/subnet/search/dsp_search_option.cfm. Illinois bid opportunities and awarded bids can be found on this website.
- Network and market your business to find opportunities under $25,000. All purchases under $100,000 are supposed to go to small business. Federal agencies use credit cards for purchases of $2,500 or less. For purchases between $2,500 and $25,000, they must obtain quotes from at least three vendors.
- Get help through PTAC. PTACs (Procurement Technical Assistance Centers) provide free assistance in marketing products and services to government agencies. Visit
You can sign up to receive Illinois solicitations by email at http://www.purchase.state.il.us/ipb/registration.nsf/RegMainFrameset